Storm
by JPHBK
Summary: Set after the Turbo movie. A heart to heart talk between Jason and Kimberly while stuck in an airport waiting out a storm. A confession from one of them may change their friendship.


Disclaimer: Saban owns Power Rangers and the characters within, not I.

Storm

"So bro.. even without your powers you are still finding yourself in the crosshairs." Tommy Oliver joked as he looked across the table at Jason Scott.

"Yeah seems it." Jason agreed with a small chuckle. The two teens glanced at their surroundings to see people going about their day in the Angel Grove Juice Bar and Youth Center. After a few moments and a couple of sips of their respective drinks, Tommy finally cleared his throat and sat up in his seat. Jason took note of his posture and furrowed his brow at him.

"So.. um.." Tommy began. It was clear to Jason he was uncomfortable with what he was about to say. "I was wondering... you and Kim were.. when did you guys meet back up?"

"Well.. truth is.." Jason began a response. Suddenly he understood why Tommy had became uncomfortable. "We really didn't."

"But you were diving together right?" Tommy asked.

"We were." Jason answered. "I literally ran into her the night before.. guess Kat had contacted us both, and so we saw each other at the store and I mentioned I couldn't wait to dive in the morning and she thought it'd be fun to tag along and then we planned to spend the day catching up."

"So.. you haven't really had a chance to catch up then?" Tommy questioned as he put the pieces together.

"No... not really, we met that morning, went diving and you know the rest." Jason responded as he shifted in his seat. "How are things between you guys now?"

"Things are good." Tommy answered. "We actually talked this morning... cleared the air.. although there wasn't much left to say you know?"

"I'm sorry bro." Jason consoled his friend.

"Nah it's cool." Tommy answered. He took a sip of his drink and then made eye contact with Jason. "She and I.. it wasn't meant to be you know.. so I'm just glad we can be friends."

"I know what you mean." Jason said.

"Emily?" Tommy inquired.

"Yeah." Jason replied.

"Well we are striking out left and right huh?" Tommy joked. Jason had to laugh a little and raised his cup to Tommy and they did a mock toast.

"I don't know though.. things with Kat.. that seems promising." Jason said with a knowing grin towards his former teammate. Tommy smiled and nodded.

"Yeah.. I think she and I... there is potential there." Tommy agreed.

"I'm glad." Jason said. "She's great, getting to know her this past year has been a treat... easy to see why Kim picked her to give the power to."

"Yeah.." Tommy said and his demeanor let Jason know he had lost him somewhat to thoughts of Katherine. Jason sat back and smiled and the two settled into a comfortable silence as the hustle of the Juice Bar went on all around them. After a few moments Jason looked down at his watch and then stood up. "Is it time already?"

"Yeah.." Jason answered. Tommy stood up as well.

"Come on... I'll drive you." Tommy said. Jason offered him an appreciative smile and the two walked out together.

(****)

"So.. this is goodbye again I guess." Tommy said as he opened his trunk and allowed Jason to retrieve a bag out of the back.

"Yeah.. for now.. I'm sure I'll be back here some day." Jason answered as he sat his bag down and turned back to Tommy just as he shut the trunk to his car.

"Hey man.. I'm going to hold you to that." Tommy stated.

"If you ever need me, I'll always come back." Jason said as the two friends both internally tried to figure out how to approach the goodbye they were about to share.

"I have no doubt." Tommy answered as he stuck his hand out. Jason clasped his hand in Tommy's and the two mutually pulled each other into a hug. After a couple of moments they broke the hug.

"And Tommy... I um.. I don't know how this will sound coming from me, but I just want you to know I'm really proud of you." Jason said.

"Proud?" Tommy questioned.

"Yeah... when I left the Rangers.." Jason hesitated and Tommy detected a hint of sadness in his voice at the words. "The only thing that made it bearable.. was that I trusted them in your hands."

"I appreciate that Jason." Tommy said. "I mean I did have some big shoes to fill."

"Nah." Jason dismissed this with a gesture. "You will go down as a legend among Rangers, you just watch."

"If I do.. it'll be because I learned from the best." Tommy said as he offered Jason an appreciative smile. Jason retured the smile and then retrieved his bag off the ground and glanced behind him at the airport. He let out a sigh.

"Guess I'd better go." Jason said.

"Say hi to Trini and Zack for me." Tommy said.

"I definitely will." Jason responded.

"And tell them to call more often.. I'd love to hear from them again." Tommy stated.

"Done." Jason replied before turning to walk towards the entrance to airport. He stopped about halfway and turned back to Tommy. "I mean it.. you ever need me for anything.."

"I'll call." Tommy said with a grateful tone. Jason nodded and then disappeared inside of the airport.

(****)

"This is just great." Jason said as he sat back in the very uncomfortable chair and folded his arms in front of him. He glanced outside the large open window next to him as he heard a crash of thunder in the midst of the sound of pouring rain and hail. Jason shook his head, glanced down at his watch and let out a yawn. He closed his eyes and turned his head a few times to stretch his stiff neck from having no support behind his head.

"Well well well.." a voice from his right caused him to stop and open his eyes and smile.

"Let me guess.. your flight is delayed too?" Jason asked as the petite brunette sat down in the empty seat next to him.

"Yup.. they all are." Kimberly Hart answered with a smile and bubbly disposition despite the delay.

"Well good.." Jason said prompting Kim to crinkle her nose at him. Noting this, Jason continued. "I'm glad to have company."

"Oh.." Kim replied the smile returning to her face. "Ditto."

"Back to Florida right?" Jason questioned although he knew that was the case from one of their brief conversations the day before. He regretted very much that he had not gotten a good chance to talk to Kim since they had been back, but everything had been so hectic he just simply had not.

"Yeah." Kim answered. Jason noted the subtle change in her disposition in her answer but chose to not ask about it. "Got to resume my training."

"All of that still going well... Trini keeps me updated." Jason said. Kim smiled at the mention of their mutual friend.

"Yeah.. yeah it's going great." Kim answered as she shifted in her seat to get a little bit more comfortable.

"I hope that I can make it when you compete." Jason said.

"I'd like that." Kim answered. "All of you guys."

"Hey.." Jason began. "I'm sorry we didn't really get a chance to catch up and talk about everything."

"Me too." Kim replied. She gestured around them. "I think we are going to get that chance now though."

"Looks like it." Jason answered with a chuckle. "How about the last few days huh... Tommy joked earlier that even without powers I still end up in the middle of these things.. guess that's true for you too."

"Yeah... it is." Kim agreed with a laugh. Jason studied her for a moment before broaching the next subject.

"Speaking of Tommy.." Jason began and watched as Kim looked at him out of the corner of her eye before turning to him fully. "He um.. seems to think you two are going to be able to be friends and everything."

"I think so too." Kim agreed. She studied Jason for a moment before deciding to open up about something. "I mean.. can I be honest?"

"Of course." Jason answered.

"I felt horrible sending that letter." Kim confessed.

"Really?" Jason questioned.

"Yeah, it.. I mean.. a "Dear John" letter.." Kim began. "Not my proudest moment."

"I can see that." Jason said with a grin. "But... in a letter, call or even in person.. it all comes out the same in the long run."

Kim watched as Jason lowerd his gaze briefly before restoring his eye contact with her. She had heard from their mutual friends about his relationship with Emily, although he himself had never brought it up to her. She also knew that Emily had ended things with him recently.

"Yeah I guess you are right." Kim said, suddenly feeling like she wanted to ask Jason about how he was feeling but also feeling unsure about how to do that.

"I'm glad you two talked it over and there are no hard feelings and all of that." Jason said with a smile. Kim smiled back and suddenly felt a foreign feeling come over her as she looked at the boy next to her. She had felt this same feeling a couple of times during their time spent captive but had brushed aside in lieu of trying to survive. Kim mentally shook herself and focused on the conversation.

"I'm glad too." Kim agreed. She found herself fidgeting with her hair and quickly stopped it. "So.. you are heading back to Peace Conference I hear?"

"Yeah.. going to Africa with Zack and Trini." Jason answered as his eyes darted outside at the sound of particually loud crash of thunder. "This storm is no joke."

"Yeah it's rough." Kim agreed.

"At this rate we are never going to get out of here." Jason continued before he turned back to Kim. The two sat in silence for several minutes occasionally sneaking glances at each other and unsure of what to say next although neither quite understood why things were suddenly awkward between them.

"Can I ask you something?" Kim asked as she turned in her seat once more to fully face Jason. He sat up in response and faced her.

"Sure." Jason answered.

"It's just something that always kind of bugged me." Kim explained. Jason nodded for her to continue. "When you guys left for the conference... I heard from Trini all the time and Zack sometimes too.. but you... you never really wrote or called."

"I wrote Tommy and called him.. and Billy.." Jason rebutted.

"Me.. I'm talking about me." Kim clarified. She noted the uncomfortable look that came over Jason's face and was suddenly very intrigued to hear his response. "Why?"

"I.. well.." Jason searched for an answer. "Honestly?"

"Yeah." Kim replied.

"You remember the day before we got our powers...?" Jason asked a question of his own. Kim was confused but decided to answer.

"Let me see... sort of.. but not really.. guess with what happened the next day I kind of forgot." Kim reacted with honesty. "What does that have to do with my question?"

"Okay..." Jason said with a small laugh, puzzling Kim even more. "I mean you and I had known each other what.. like a year before we became Rangers right?"

"No we knew each other since we started school." Kim answered.

"No.. I mean.. like we were friends." Jason answered. Kim thought carefully and then nodded.

"Then yeah I'd say that's about right." Kim agreed.

"Okay.. so what would you say if I told you that I spent the better part of that year trying to determine whether I should ask you out or not?" Jason asked. The confession stunned Kimberly. She sat for several seconds just staring at him. "I'm going to say from your expression you had no idea.."

"No.. none." Kim replied. "Jason..."

"Right.. so the day before we got the powers.." Jason began.

"You told me you had something to to talk to me about.. we were supposed to meet that next night.." Kim began to put the pieces together and memories came back.

"Right." Jason said.

"We never met after what happened... wait that's what you were going to do... ask me out?" Kim asked.

"Yep." Jason said with a shy smile that Kim found very endearing in this moment.

"Okay... sooo many questions here." Kim said.

"Shoot." Jason responded.

"First off... why didn't you ask me out later?" Kim asked. Jason folded his arms and glanced up at the ceiling for a moment before returning his gaze to her.

"Honestly... I think.. well it wasn't easy for me to work up the courage to ask you anyway you know.. and then when the Rangers happened.. I guess I just lost myself in that and decided it was a sign or something." Jason answered as honestly as he could. Kim nodded at his words and found herself staring into his eyes. The feeling was back and she once again mentally shook herself out of it.

"Makes sense.. I mean you never dated anyone while we were Rangers." Kim surmised.

"Yeah.. that was part because of my focus on being a Ranger and.." Jason paused, he broke their eye contact briefly and glanced down at his hands. "Then you know... you met Tommy and.. all of that."

"Jase.." Kim said gathering his attention back up to her. "Are you saying.."

"That I carried a torch for you the whole time we were Rangers?" Jason finished for her. She nodded. Jason let out a small laugh. "I suppose you could say that."

"I.. I.." Kim struggled with her words. "I'm... sorry."

"You don't have any reason to be sorry.. that's silly." Jason said.

"I mean.. I had no idea you felt that way... I.." Kim paused.

"It doesn't matter you know.. it's all in the past." Jason said and offered her a smile. One that Kim could tell was not completely genuine. Jason unfolded his arms and rested one on the arm rest between them. Kimberly reached over and placed her hand on his wrist. Jason glanced down at it briefly and then back up to Kim.

"So.. you didn't write me.. I don't understand..." Kim began.

"I guess.. after that day.. things with us.. never felt right to me." Jason confessed again. "Like.. for me.. on a subconscious level it was hard for me to just talk to you and I think I may have even distanced myself from you because of it."

"I.. don't understand.." Kim replied.

"Me either really." Jason said. "Just my way of coping with missing out I guess."

Kim nodded and suddenly felt sad when Jason removed his arm out from under her hand and crossed his arms again. She took in the sight of the gesture as something that was uniquely Jason. She recalled it was something she had seen him do from her first memories of him. He had confessed to her once that it was a habit that was born out of his shyness as a kid. Kind of a outward gesture of how inwardly he was retreating into himself.

"Jason.." Kim said. "I really am sorry though.. I mean.. if you felt something.. and I..."

"Don't apologize please.. it was my choice to not act on it." Jason softly interupted her in a tone that was quieter than the rest of the conversation.

"I wish.." Kim stopped. Suddenly she realized what she was about to say and wasn't sure how she felt about it. She watched as Jason turned to her with a quizzical look on his face.

"What?" He asked. Suddenly she felt very flushed. One part was embarassment for sure but another part was something else. She could continue to pretend she did not know what the feeling was, but in truth she did.

"I wished you had asked me." Kim said and she searched Jason's eyes for his immediate reaction. He was keeping a poker face for several moments and she wondered if he was doing that on purpose. After a moment he smiled.

"Why?" He asked. Suddenly Kim found herself fidgeting with her hair again. This was her very own nervous habit. "What would you have said?"

"I don't know... probably yes." Kim confessed.

"Really?" Jason asked.

"Yeah.. I mean.. why wouldn't I?" Kim asked with a shrug.

"I don't know.. because you didn't look at me the same way?" Jason suggested.

"Maybe I didn't.." Kim replied. "But I'm not blind."

"What do you mean?" Jason questioned.

"Jase.. come on.. you are not hard on the eyes at all." Kim replied and relished in the blush that immediately came to his face. "I just didn't look at you that way because we were friends.."

"But Tommy.." Jason began.

"We weren't friends first." Kim clarified. Jason nodded as the realization hit him. After a moment he smiled.

"Oh well.. like I said it's in the past." Jason said as he glanced back outside to see if the weather looked any better.

"Is it?" Kim asked, a question that prompted Jason to quickly turn back to her. He studied her face and saw the tell tale signs of flirting on her face and in her posture. Jason was at a loss to what even think, let alone say. He cleared his throat and found his voice.

"Well.. I mean.. alot has happened since those days." Jason said. Kim nodded in response.

"Yeah it has." Kim agreed.

"Not sure I can just go back to that day before..." Jason said. They both picked a spot on the floor to focus on as there was yet another beat of silence between them. Only the sounds of the airport mixed with the storm outside would pass between them for several minutes.

"Would you?" Kim finally asked, breaking the silence. Jason turned to see her looking at him again.

"Go back?" Jason asked.

"Yeah." Kim answered. Jason nodded his head in the affirmative and Kim found she could not stop the smile that formed on her face. She reached over and placed her hand on top of his. "Maybe you don't have to go back."

"Kim.." Jason suddenly felt weak and it showed in his voice. It was not a bad kind of weak, but the kind of weak you feel when overwhelmed with emotions and by the moment you are experiencing. He was sure if he glanced around him it'd be like everything was in slow motion. In truth though, he couldn't remove his eyes from the girl next to him. "I.. am about to board a plane to another country.."

"Yeah.." Kim responded as she came to the realization about the same time he said it. "Guess.. you are right."

She wasn't sure what had came over her or had lulled her into the words she had spoken. It was because of the feelings she had been having. They had surfaced upon seeing Jason again the first time back in town and during their whole ordeal together. Suddenly he was more than just her friend, teammate or even the protector he had always been for all of them. He was someone who Kim very much wanted to get to know on a whole new level.

Kim slowly started to remove her hand from over his and placed them in her lap. She absentmindedly began to run her finger down the seam in her jeans, sneaking a glance up at Jason who seemed to be fixated on the counter in front of them. She was sure that he much like her was trying to figure out what to do with the feelings he was having. For her, she'd go to Florida and bury herself in her training and maybe she'd forget it like she had forgotten the day before they got their powers all of those years ago.

Kim was suddenly startled when Jason got up from his seat next to her and made his way over to the counter to speak to the lady behind it. She eyed him curiously for a moment and then returned to looking down at her hands and began to think again. She was reliving their conversation when she felt Jason sit back down next to her again. She looked over at him to see he had a ticket in his hand.

"Kim.." Jason began.

"Yeah?" She asked. He handed her the ticket and she saw the destination. "What.."

"I don't want to go to Africa." Jason said. "I never really wanted to but.. guess I just couldn't find a reason to stay here."

"And now.." Kim spoke.

"Now.. I'm prepared to get on a plane and go to Florida... with you." Jason said as he met her eyes.

"Jason this is.." Kim began as she held the ticket up.

"Crazy?" Jason asked. She nodded. "I know."

"So.. does that mean you and I.." Kim hesitated as she felt a smile forming on her face but she didn't want to show her cards just yet until she was sure.

"What it means is that.. even though I'm a couple of years late.. I'd like to take my chance to finally ask you out." Jason stated with a smile as he reached over to take her hand. She felt a rush as her hand fit perfectly inside of his and he gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I'd love to go out with you Jason." Kim said with a sincerity that warmed her own heart and seemed to Jason's as well. He nodded and she shifted their hands so that their fingers were interlocked. They held each other's gaze and Kim sensed Jason wanted to say something more. "What is it?"

"I was wondering if it'd be okay to kiss you before you know we'd even had our first date.." Jason answered honestly. Kim decided to let actions answer for her and leaned in and he met her halfway with a kiss. Both smiled as they settled back into their seats. Jason glanced outside and saw that the sun was starting to break through the clouds. He turned to Kim. "Looks like the storm is over."

"Looks like it." Kim responded with a smile.


End file.
